The 10 Commandments of Email

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Along with the 5 Temptations of a CEO, the 10 Commandments of Email is another great read.

1. Don’t use your in-box as a catchall folder for everything you need to work on. Read items once, and answer them immediately if necessary, delete them if possible, or move them to project-specific folders.

   • Set up a “Five Weeks Folder” that deletes its content automatically after five weeks. Use it as a repository for messages you’re unsure about, such as that email you want to delete, but you’re not sure if the guy’s going to call you tomorrow and ask about it.

     • Assist colleagues’ inbox-filtering efforts by agreeing on acronyms to use in subject lines that quickly identify action items and other important messages. Sample acronyms: < AR> , Action Required; < MSR>, Monthly Status Report.

       • Send group mail only when it is useful to all recipients. Use “reply-to-all” and “CC:” buttons sparingly.

         • Ask to be removed from distribution lists that you don’t need to be on.

           • To cut down on pileup, use the “out-of-office” feature of your email, in addition to your voice mail, to notify people when you are traveling.

             • When possible, send a message that is only a subject line, so recipients don’t have to open the email to read a single line. End the subject line with < EOM>, the acronym for End of Message.

               • Graphics and attachments are fun, but they slow down your ability to download messages when you’re on the road. Use them sparingly.

                 • If you’re sending an attachment larger than 5 MB to a large group of recipients, consider putting it on the company’s Web site or intranet instead.

                   • Be specific. If you send a 20-page attachment, tell the recipient that the important information is on pages 2 and 17.

Nice.

technorati tags: GTD, Email